SALEM, Ore. — A new advisor is joining Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek's office this week to help Kotek's wife, Aimee Kotek-Wilson, establish her own office, according to a spokesperson for the governor's office.
The news was first reported by Willamette Week.
Starting March 25, Meliah Masiba from the Department of Administrative Services will work with Kotek-Wilson for the next six months to "explore the establishment of the Office of the First Spouse, a program that has been established in many states. This position would also assist and support the current First Spouse in her official capacity in support of the Administration."
Masiba will report to Kotek's chief of staff, not directly to Kotek-Wilson.
Masiba's $11,984-per-month state salary will be paid by the governor's office during that six-month period, according to an FAQ provided by the governor's office Monday. Kotek-Wilson does not receive income from the state and the governor's office said that there are "no plans" to change that. She does not have outside employment and will be volunteering her time.
The governor's office said that the first spouse counts as a public official under Oregon law. But unlike in some other states, Oregon does not further specify what their role is supposed to be.
Within the past year, Kotek-Wilson — who has a master's degree in social work — has attended several behavioral health-related meetings, regularly attends weekly meetings on Kotek's schedule and travel plans, and attends some events on behalf of the governor's office.
"The First Lady’s role in the office complies with state ethics law," Kotek's office said. "The exploration of the establishment of the office of the First Spouse is in preliminary stages. Ensuring compliance with state ethics laws and other statutes is being embedded into the process."
Since last year, Kotek-Wilson has had a scheduler assigned to her, and she's occasionally received security from Oregon State Police while attending events representing the governor's office. This month, Kotek directed OSP to "consistently" provide that security for all events of this kind that Kotek-Wilson attends.
"This change was made using existing resources from the Governor’s Office budget," Kotek's office said.
In the past, bringing family members into the work of running the state has proven controversial.
"This has been an issue for first ladies for over 50 years, what help do they get in being first lady," said Jim Moore, a politics professor at Pacific University.
Back in 2015, Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber resigned amid scandal over the role his fiancée, Cylvia Hayes, played in his administration. Kotek, then house speaker, was among those who called for his resignation.
"So, it's been a big issue for a while, but this then also raises other questions: what is the first lady going to be doing?" Moore said.
Kotek-Wilson joined the governor on about three quarters of the stops on her One Oregon Listening Tour. She has a background in social work helping those with serious mental illness.
"I don't know how active she was in those conversations, but she was at every one; we haven't seen anything like that before," Moore said.
The talks about giving Kotek-Wilson an office comes amid three of the governor's top staff members stepping down, including her chief of staff leaving this week.
"It shows that they are in a place that they can't be comfortable working with the governor for whatever reason," Moore said. "I think it probably has to do with the first lady, but for whatever reason."
The Willamette Week and Oregon Public Broadcasting both reported tensions between those staffers and the first lady led to their departure. KGW reached out to each of them but did not hear back. The governor's office said it would not comment on what they referred to as "personal matters."
"That is an issue for the governor," Moore said. "It shows that when she chose these people for the position, she may not have thought through what she wanted to do as governor, and that's a common thing."
Neither the governor nor the first lady were available for an interview Monday.
Kotek's chief of staff is leaving on Friday so the deputy chief of staff for public administration will step in, seeing as the governor's deputy chief of staff is also leaving next week and so is one of the governor's special advisors, who is returning to work at OHSU.